Apparatus for manufacturing fiber board or analogous material



J. J. HINDE Feb. 25, 1930.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING FIBER BOARD OR ANALOGOUS MATERIAL Fild Ju1y'l7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W/% A Z% J. J. HINDE 1,748,224 APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING FIBER BOARD OR ANALOGOUS MATERIAL Feb. 25, 1930.

Filed July 17, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented 13!).25, 1930 The. invention relates to an improved method and mechanism for manufacturing paper or pulp board from the integral substance ofcorn stalks or analogous fibrous ma- 5- terial, and particularly to mechanical method and mechanism for producing sheets or board of varying thickness from pulp previously prepared according" to the process clearly pointed out in my previous application for 3 pulp board filed Nov. 17, 1924, and bearing Serial. Number 7 50,47 9 inwhich the fibrous materials composing the pulp were caused to adhere together by means of the saccharine or glutinous matter or .cementing material in- 5 cluded in its composition of the stalks.

The objects of this invention are: first, to provide continuously acting means to collect the pulp in a moist and flowing condition and feed it in the form of a contlnuous sheet of given thickness to a conveyor, upon each side of which are stationed-pressure means by the action of which the moisture is squeezed from the sheet, and it is reduced to a predetermined amount of thickness.

Following this treatment drying means are provided which operate upon the board as it passes beyond the moisture extracting means and which is adapted to remove the remaining moisture and deliver the board in mar- 0 ketable condition. I

In accom lishing this process the fibrous material is 'rst carefully shredded, maintaining a proper'proportion between the long andshort and coarse and fine fibers and care- 5 fully intermingling the same. V Afterward the pulpy mass is ed to a tank in which it is stirred constantly to interweave the fibers with each other and pro erly com ressed and dried to form a sheet 0 strong fi rous board 3 in one ply formation varying from oneeighth of an inch in thickness to the thickness of lumber for buildings, .such as plaster board, with such a surface that it can be plastered upon without the use of lathing, and

5 for insulating board of any desired thickness.- I

After the material has been shredded, preserving the proper proportion of Ion and short and thin and thick fibers, a su cient D amount'of water is added float the fibers UNITED STATES mm 1. amps, on whom, omo

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and the mass is agitated to get the various sorts of fibers thoroughly intermingled, and

by the even distribution of the flowing stream of pulp, the variousfibers are interwoven to produce a substance of great tensile strength and also possessed of unsual insulating qualities against heat or cold or sound.

In treatingpulp of this character it is extremely difficult to transfer the pulp mass from one container or cylinder to another in the usual manner, hence this difiiculty is disposed of by providing only one cylinder operated as a screen and revolving it in the contamer, the immersed area of the surface of the cylinder being sufficiently large to enable 55 1t to take up the desired thickness of the pulp and transfer it directly to forming and compressing rolls, the pulp first adhering to the surface of a conveyor which passes over the cylinder and then passing between the rolls or series of rolls, by means of which it is compacted into a sheet or band and the excess of water expelled therefrom.

By employing a skeleton cylinder of large diameter the lower part of which is immersed 1n the vat or container and a pump to drain the water from the interior of the cylinder a certain amount of hydrostatic pressure is produced that tends to collect and bind the pulp mass u on the surface of the conveyor which may e composed of porous felt or coarsely woven material. In this manner the pulp is conveyed to the pressure rolls without crushing it and is protected from disturbance of any kind and the fibers are brought together with much force and the cylinder is not revolved by means of this conveyor, but both travel in unison at the same rate of speed with separate drives; the crushing action most objectionable to paper makers can not be avoided when employing couch rolls on cylinders in the usual manner.

In making use of one cylinder and passing the mass of pulp to the pressure rolls between two open mesh or felt conveyors all danger of the separation of the mass into more than one layer or into laminations is avoided, which might occur with the use of a multiple number 0 cylinders. It is also advantageous to employ not less than six pairs of pressure rollersv when manufacturing a heavy board, but the number may varyat the choice of the operator. The amount of pressure should also be nicely graduated between the first and last set of rolls to produce the most perfect results. In this manner about 50% of the moisture can be extracted from the pulp mass before it passes to the dryer. The dryer may consist of two porous heavy endless traveling felt or open mesh conveyors between which the pulp mass is carried in a continuous sheet through a chamber into which dry air is forced. The felt or open mesh conveyors preserve thev alignment of the sheet and ermit the moisture from its surface to be absorbed by the dry air in said chamber.

After passing between the rolls the felt or open mesh conveyors pass over heated cylingof ders which dry them before they return into contact with the bank of pulp.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the claims. I

I In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the preferred mecha- "nism employed to manufacture the product,

Fig. 2 is a plan thereof; Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a band of pulp enclosed between two belts madeof open mesh material; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a vacuumpress for extracting moisture from the sheet of pulp between the wet press and the dryer. Here A isa tank or receptacle filled with the prepared pulp mass in a flowing state. The pulp flows by gravity through the lateral openin B in the wall thereof into a shallow tan C. D is a skeleton c'linder open at its ends, the lower"portion 0 which is immersed in the fluid mass of pulp in the tank C. v

The cylinder is revolved by any convenient means such as a pulley E, and over its surface an endlessopen mesh conveyor belt F 1 passes. This belt is made of porous or open mesh material. As the cylinder revolves some of the water in the pulp passes through the conveyor into the cylinder, from which it is sucked through the pipe G which may be in the wall of the tank by a suction pump of good capacity. This action causes the pulp to adhere to the outer surface of the conveyor in gradually increasing thickness in the direction of revolution of the cylinder without disturbance or crushing until it is passed be- .tween the conveyor F and a second parallel endless conveyor belt I-I upon a level plane extending outwardly from the cylinder. These conveyor belts F and H are formed of open mesh material which may be of fabric as mentioned in patent granted to me on Oct. 17, 1911, No. 1,005,836, or may be open wire mesh or may be composed of a layer-of felt enclosed between two open mesh layers of any material. Revolvingblades O, O, stir stantially one-half of the containedmoisture is pressed out, and the properly formed board is passed between the parallel felt or openv mesh conveyor belts J, J, and iscompletely dried by means of a dry air current passed through the box K. These belts may be similarly constructed to the belts F, H.

The moisture is. absorbed from the pulp through the conveyors and in turn from the conveyors by means of the dry current of-airand the parallel conveyors preserve the fiat shape of the board until it is dried; after passing over the rolls the moisture laden conveyors are passed over the intermediate heated rolls L,'L,'and are thoroughly dried before they again enter the hot box.

Any convenient means as a blower may be employed to circulate hot or dry air or steam through the 'hot box and drying cylinders through pipe or hollow trunnions M and N respectively.-

The adva tages of the above described process and mechanism are obvious in its simplicity and in the speed of production and in the improved quality of the product obtained thereby and in/the cheapness' of production and installation. -Also the moisture is extracted Without danger of overheating it and without disturbing the textureof the mats and the board will be flat without danger of subsequent warping, and a large amount of board can be produced with a minimum amount of labor and without shrinkage in the weight of the material employed.

The heated or open mesh" conveyors J, J, employed for absorbin the moisture from the partially dried boar may be constructed as shown in Fig. 3 of a central body portion W composed of a very loose absorbent felt or open mesh conveyor of any suitable material and may be reinforced by means of a loose fabriccovering T, secured upon each side stitching as at W, or by any suitable method,

or open mesh wire ,conveyorsm'ay be used.

It is understood that this process is equally well adapted for the manufacture'of heavy paper such as wrapping papers, or of fine paper made of any pulpy material.

In Fig. {1 a vacuum suction dryer is shown interme iate of the wet press and heated dryer shown in Fig. 1. In'this' view B represents a vertically movable hollow pressure head having a perforated base R and an inlet passage S and Z represents an exhaust cham er closed on the upper side by means of an endless open mesh carrier Y passing over rollers Y and having inclined sides Y and suction outlet Y A suitable suction pump Y draws hot air through these chambers and through the mass of pulp upon the carrier.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is 2 1. In a device of the character set forth,

positioned to receive said screen conveyor between them and a lower endless screen conveyor passing over said lower set of rolls, said endless screen conveyors being positioned to receive a layer of pulp deposited on said first named conveyor as it passes from said cylinder.

' In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand this 17th day of March, 1926.

JAMES J. HINDE.

an open receptacle for pulp having a raised inlet opening and a rotatable hollow perforated cylinder immersed in said receptacle, and a perforated conveyor passing through said pulp in said receptacle in contact with the surface of said cylinder, said receptacle being provided with an outlet opening communicating with the interior of said cylingogdel, and an endless conveyor inserted in the wall of said receptacle opposite said inlet opening and at a lower level, and adapted to receive the pulp layer from the surface of said perforated conveyor.

2.- In a device of the character described, the combination with a receptacle for pulp, said receptacle having an elevated inlet opening, of a perforated cylinder revolvable therein, the pivotal bearings therefor being below the level of said inlet opening, an endless screen conveyor passing around said cylinder in said receptacle, a set of horizontal pressure rolls under which, said screen conveyor passes on the side of said receptacle opposite said inlet opening, and a second endless screen conveyor and a set pressure rolls therefor adjacent to the aforesaid rolls and underneath the same, said screen conveyors being positioned to receive the layer of pulp as it rises upon the side of the cylinder between them,and convey the same between said sets of pressure rolls.

3. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a receptacle for pulp,

l5 said receptacle having an elevated inlet'opening, of a perforated cylinder revolvable therein, the pivotal bearings therefor being below the level of said cylinder in said receptacle, a set of horizontal pressure rolls under which saidscreen conveyor passes on the side of said receptacle opposite said inlet opening, and a second endless screen conveyor and a set pressure rolls therefor adjacent to the aforesaid rolls and underneath the same, said screen conveyors being positioned to receive the layer of pulp as it rises upon the side H of the cylinder between them and convey the same between said sets of pressure rolls, said receptacle having an out-let opening at a lower 30 level than said inlet opening.

4. In a device of the character described, in combination a receptacle, a perforated cylinder rotatable therein, an endless screen conveyor passing over said cylinder, sets of upper and, lower horizontal pressure rolls 

